My Town - Tom Spade

04/27/2019 11:00AM
● By Enjoy Magazine

My Town- Tom Spade [1 Image]
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Tom Spade, Redding Asphalt Cowboys

May 2019Photo by M.C Hunter Photography

How do I see my town: Big-Hearted

When asked why I live in Redding, it was not hard to answer: It is the people. My wife Gerry and I have lived in Redding all of our lives. We met in kindergarten, at a little school on Pine Street where the Gold Exchange is now. Check it out – it was real.

The case I would make for my answer now is the Carr Fire. As the fire was wrapping up, the Asphalt Cowboys knew we needed to help if we could. We decided to put together a fundraiser. Three days later on Saturday, we had an event at the clubhouse.

We had an auction, raffle, donation, free burgers, hot dogs and some adult beverages. The response was not to be believed. Within three hours, hundreds of Redding citizens had entrusted us with $58,638. A lot of these dollars came from kids putting in their allowances. This was not about the cowboys; it was about the caring of the people in the town in which we get to live. With this money we were able, in a small way, to help 77 families. All of these families had lost their homes or worse.